Thursday, December 31, 2009

My DNA is My Property, Not the State's

Damian Green, who you voted your Opposition Frontbencher of the Year, has launched a new campaign today, RETURN MY DNA - with the aim of persuading the Government to release innocent people's DNA from the DNA database.

I'd have thought this is a campaign that people from all parties can support. The very idea that any police force should be able to retain the DNA of an innocent individual is clearly a step too far in the direction of the Big Brother state. If you are innocent of committing an offence the state should have no right to retain your DNA. I just cannot believe any intelligent person could think otherwise.

20 comments:

John
said...

You get to keep it too, you know. They don't take all your DNA - I don't get people acting like some primitive tribe fearing that the camera might steal their soul. What about your photo? Surely your face is your property too, so why do the passport office and the DVLA have a copy?

Big brother state? Little bit. A price worth paying for a substantial increase in the conviction rate across a broad swathe of crimes, and the virtual elimination of stranger rape? Yes.

However, I have my doubts about the ever-increasing accusations that this Regime is Orwellian.

I don't dispute that they're damaging civil liberties, or that they're imposing levels of control previously unseen in this country - but the Orwellian image was of power for power's sake, and I think this bunch of cretins actually believe that their actions are creating a fairer society.

bryan somers - Sure, this would work from the start if we all knew, but how do you introduce it when you have a population that has been taught freedom above all else?

What you do is start teaching the children that freedom is the state, and what the state does in all good an knowing. (As is currently being done now)

Then their kids you teach the state is better than good and you adust history to show how the state has always been good. (They are just starting to do this in schools now).

In 100 years time people will be screaming for the state to take their DNA because it will allow them to control the thugs that the state allows out to keep the general public scared, and nudge us into what they want. A little at a time.

I spend time in schools, and some of the current teaching idea and what is being taught is scary.

Obviously you are insane, how to you propose to finance such an undertaking? What about the vast number of people who come into the country and leave every day? not to mention those that are in the country unbeknownst to the authorities? or is it only registered UK citizens that commit crimes? As for management and security costs well.....

"A price worth paying for a substantial increase in the conviction rate across a broad swathe of crimes, and the virtual elimination of stranger rape? Yes."

No! You're talking utter rubbish. There is little or no evidence that harvesting and storing DNA has led to any increase in conviction rates, for any crimes.

i'd point out that those convicted of the most serious crimes in the years leading up to the introduction of DNA harvesting and retention, are not on the database.

Keep in the back of your minds that your DNA can and will eventually be used by governments for purposes other than the detection of crime. Think what insurance companies will pay to get their hands on this database?

John @11.46: surely the best way to help the police would be if we were also all microchipped at birth, together with the geographical pinpointing technology currently in mobile phones.

Then we could all be constantly monitored (that would reduce the jobless total as well), and I am sure it wouldn't be long before control mechanisms could also be introduced, to stop us drinking that second pint, or shouting at the kids, or driving over 30mph in a built up zone, or having sex with the milkman....

My DNA is not my property. It was given to me by my forebears and is shared with everyone else one way or another. It might be natures way of giving me a personal identity and the way it connects to others. For those who have children they give it away, more or less freely. Mine is already in genetic research databanks, freely given. There is an intelligent case to be made for holding everyone's DNA in controlled conditions, and that is primarily a medical one.

With respect, Ian, it is unlikely that non-Conservatives will join this: when you click on the button to register as a part of this, which I wanted to do, you are directed to a page called 'Joining My Conservatives' which I didn't want to do, being a UKIP supporter until Cameron makes up on his pledges.

In a few months (hopefully) he'll BE the Government. Don't prat about, just release a policy document telling voters what the new rules will be, what their rights will be under a Tory government and how quickly any DNA records that don't meet the new rules will be removed from the database.